I Don't Believe in Santa Claus
by Lilly flower forever
Summary: "I don't believe in Santa Claus." Emma had announced. Now it's up to Adrien to change that. Day nineteen of the ML 2017 Christmas Countdown.


I Don't Believe in Santa Claus

 **Hello everyone! Here is day nineteen of my Christmas Countdown.**

 **I thought I'd do a bit more of the family fluff since it's super cute. :)**

 **Prompt: Santa**

 **...**

"I don't believe in Santa Claus." Five-year-old Emma Agreste stood at the doorway to the living room, her teddy bear tucked safely under her arm and a decisive frown on her face.

Adrien turned away from the fireplace where he was helping Hugo hang his stocking, and stared at his daughter in surprise. Hugo's mouth fell open in disbelief as he looked back at his older sister after she made her startling announcement. He had thought that _everyone_ believed in Santa. In his eyes it was just common knowledge that Santa existed. But here his sister was, declaring that she didn't think he did exist. "You don't what?" Adrien asked.

Emma sniffed. "I don't believe in Santa Claus." She repeated. "He's just made up by the adults. He's not real."

Adrien tried to keep his face straight. "Why don't you think Santa is real?" He asked with slight amusement at the same time as Hugo as he protested, "Santa _is_ real."

"Mary told me."

Mary was Emma's best friend. She lived right next door so the two girls often spent time with each other. Mary's parents could be quite strict though and didn't like encouraging 'silly, foolish ideas' such as Santa. They believed that if they did so, Mary would grow up to be an airhead, and they couldn't have that for their darling daughter. As such, any idea about Santa, or anything else similar, was discouraged.

Adrien tilted his head. "And how does Mary know this?" He asked.

At this, Emma faltered. "Because..." she wracked her brain for an answer. "Because... because her mummy and daddy told her!" She grinned triumphantly.

He shook his head and smiled fondly at his daughter. "That's alright then." He said.

Beside him, Hugo looked even more shocked. Wasn't his daddy supposed to tell Emma she was wrong and that Santa _did_ exist?

A pleased look came over Emma's face and she turned around and stalked out of the room. Adrien turned to face his son and gave him a reassuring smile. "It's ok Hugo. You can still believe in Santa even if Emma doesn't." He said.

Hugo looked greatly relieved at that and Adrien continued hanging the Christmas stocking up while his son watched eagerly, tying to help whenever he could.

...

Marinette and Adrien were sitting in their kitchen later that night, when all the children were asleep, drinking hot chocolate and talking softly. "You know what Emma said to me today?" Adrien mentioned casually when they fell into silence.

Marinette raised an eyebrow and took a sip of her hot chocolate. "No, what did she say?"

"She said she didn't believe in Santa anymore."

She snorted. "Let me guess, Mary told her?"

"Yep." Adrien nodded. "Hugo was horrified that she would even think that." He chuckled.

Marinette hummed and set her cup down on the table. "It's a shame. It's so much fun seeing the wonder on their faces when they see their presents and think Santa Claus brought them. Last year Hugo was convinced that Santa was my best friend and that's how he knew what he wanted."

They laughed together for a moment before Adrien said, "Reckon we could get her to believe in Santa again?"

She shrugged. "Maybe if you dress up as Santa Claus and 'visit' her. But she'd probably know it was you."

Adrien grinned, reaching out and taking a cookie from Tikki's stash, knowing she wouldn't really care since Marinette would top it up again before the kwami woke up. "I reckon I could do it."

Rolling her eyes and collecting their empty mugs, Marinette said. "You try it then. It can't hurt." Then she added teasingly with a wink in his direction, "Besides, I'm sure you look great in a Santa costume."

"Of course I do, Bugaboo."

...

A few days later, Adrien found himself stuck in a slightly uncomfortable and very bulky Santa costume. It was Christmas Eve and he was about to make his way into Emma's room. Everyone was sound asleep, even little Louis and the house was silent. Adrien crept down the hallway and pushed open her door, deliberately stepping on the creaky floorboard right outside her room. She stirred slightly and he hurried in with a couple of presents that he set down at the end of her bed. Despite what Emma had claimed a few days earlier, she was still slightly hoping that Santa was real and her eyes snapped open right away once she realised Santa could be there, searching for the source of the noise. He placed the presents down quickly, gave her a little wave, then turned to leave. She scrambled to sit up straight in her bed. "Santa?" She questioned sleepily and Adrien grinned, stopping to look back at her. "Yes." He said simply then was about to walk out of the room when her words stopped him again.

"Daddy, there's no Santa." Emma's voice echoed in the otherwise silent room. "You're just pretending to be Santa to make me think he's real."

Adrien turned back to face Emma, seeing the disappointed frown on her face. "Hey," he said gently, sitting down on her bed. "Santa is real. There are many, many Santas out there. Each mummy and daddy is the Santa for their kids and we're real, right?" She nodded. "Santa Claus doesn't have to be just one person."

It was silent for a moment while she thought this over, then she giggled and poked his belly. "You look silly when you dress up as Santa." She said. "Do you always wear that when you put our presents under the tree?"

He shook his head with a smile. "No. I only wore it this time."

Emma's grin only grew. "Could you wear it _every_ time you deliver out presents?" She pleaded.

And that was how Adrien Agreste found himself dressing up in the Santa costume every year after that just to place the presents under the tree, knowing that his children would stay awake just to see him try slide down the chimney like Santa was supposed to do.

 **...**

 **Well there we go. I hope you enjoyed this bit of family fluff. :)**

 **I'm actually a bit behind with my writing which is a bit stressful and a little nephew has just moved into the room I'm staying in so that will really disturb my precious writing time at night which is basically the only time I can actually sit down and write while I'm on holidays and visiting people. But I'm sure it will be ok.**

 **Christmas countdown question: Did you believe in Santa when you were a kid? I did because I remember waiting eagerly for Santa to come and telling myself I would wake up at midnight to see and I woke up at 1 and I was like "oh no I missed him." I don't remember when I realised Santa wasn't real.**


End file.
